Entertain Your Kids While They're Sick at Home

Many parents face this difficult question: how do I keep my kids entertained when they're home sick? Obviously, you don't want them running around the house or playing outside, but there are ways to distract them from the discomfort of their illness and make time pass quickly. Many kids want to play even though they don't feel wonderful, so these are ideas that will keep them quite and entertained.

1. Make it a Movie Day!

Kids love movies, and sick time is perfect for watching movies that they wouldn't have time for otherwise. Let your child pick out several movies that he or she wants to watch, and set up a cushy bed on the living room floor for them to lie on. Even if you don't normally allow it, let them bring stuffed animals and quiet toys into the living room with which to play while they watch. While they're focused on the movies, you can take care of household chores or watch with them, whichever you prefer.

2. Puzzles & Quiet Board Games

Set up a card table or sit at the kitchen table and do puzzles for a while. This is stimulating enough that your child can forget he or she is sick, but is quiet enough that it shouldn't affect health problems. You can also pull out infrequently-played board games that your child enjoys, such as Memory or Chutes & Ladders. This leads to quiet, entertaining family fun.

3. Make a Fort

Kids - especially boys - love to make forts, and when you are finished it will be a great place for your child to lie down and take a nap or read quietly. When my cousins were sick, we used to take an old table out of the spare bedroom and drape a sheet over it, which wasn't very creative but got the job done. Kids are more likely to play, read or nap quietly when they have an exciting place to do it.

4. Tub Games

Feverish children will often feel better after taking a bath, and you can make this a longer and more entertaining experience by playing games or with tub toys. Floating animals, ships, cars and other toys will keep your child occupied while he or she is cooling down the fever.

5. Mom and Dad's Bed

For reasons unknown, many children covet their parents' bed. It's bigger than their own and they don't get to sleep in it, so chances are they want to be in it. Make sick time the only time that your child is allowed to lounge in your bed. Cuddle up with stuffed animals and a good move and spend the afternoon in bed. This also gives you a chance to relax.

6. Make Popsicles!

Using tongue depressors and fruit juice, make homemade popsicles and enjoy them as a healthy treat. This will help calm a fever if one exists and your child will be excited to eat something that he or she made.

7. Play Doctor

Purchase an inexpensive play doctor's kit from your local toy store and teach your child what each instrument does. This will make being sick a fun experience, and they can be prepared for the real doctor. If you have access to one, get a real stethoscope and let your child hear what the heart and lungs sound like inside their chest.

8. New Toy

If you or your spouse is at work while the other stays home with your sick child, have the spouse at work bring home a brand new toy as a reward for behaving while sick. This is especially helpful if the child will have to spend another day at home. Now he or she will have something special to look forward to.